Rime

Update 3: Pre-orders are closed off again, likely to correct the error.

Update 2: Back up for pre-order on Amazon here. The main price error has been fixed, as it’s now $40. However, if you have Prime, the error is still there, and you can save $16 (thanks Steven L). This will likely be addressed soon.

Update: Amazon has closed off pre-orders, unsurprisingly.

Original: Amazon now has the Switch version of Rime up for pre-order. We heard that this version of the game will be $40, but the retailer is currently offering it for $30. It’s undoubtedly a price error and one that will be fixed soon, but for now you can save $10 here.

Along with a new release window for Rime, a physical version and price point were announced for the game yesterday. On Switch, it’ll cost $39.99 / €44.99 / £39.99 whereas other versions are $29.99 / €34.99 / £29.99.

Grey Box, Rime’s publisher, already said that “prices for our products based on the costs of development and publishing for each specific platform”. Adding to this, the company now tells Kotaku that “cost of manufacturing is also a factor”.

The news obviously hasn’t been going over well. We’ll just have to hope that this isn’t a trend that continues on Switch.

Rime is due out later on Switch than other platforms, and when it does, it’ll be $10 more. Grey Box has since commented on the price increase with Eurogamer.

“We set prices for our products based on the costs of development and publishing for each specific platform,” the publisher said.

Rime on Switch will be the same as other versions, “though with the added freedom to take the adventure anywhere using the Switch’s portable functionality”. Tequila Works and Switch-specific developer Tantalus are “investigating the use of Switch-specific features, but we cannot confirm anything at the moment”.

Rime developers Tequila Works recently spoke about their game with Wccftech.com. We’ve picked out some of the more relevant pieces of new information and collected them below.

On the length and replayability of the game:

(Kevin Sardà – Lead Designer) The duration of the game will largely depend on each player’s play style and how he or she would like to immerse into the exploration of the island and unlocking all the secrets it keeps. If if you really want to take your time and collect all the secrets, you might well end up in the 8-10 hours range , but it could take a couple hours fewer or a couple hours more. As for replayability, the story of RiME has a very well defined ending, which everybody will experience when they finish the game, but there is a good chance players might miss several secrets and collectibles in their first playthrough, and those items are not there as mere cosmetic additions or to artificially increase the time you spend in the game, but they offer deeper understanding about the story. We expect a good deal of players will revisit the island in order to get the whole picture!

The Switch version of Rime isn’t being handled by Tequila Works directly. While the original team is involved in how it progresses, Tantalus is behind the actual development. Tantalus is also working on Sonic Mania for Switch.

Tequila Works told IGN:

“The Nintendo Switch version is being developed by Tantalus, the studio behind the HD version of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. We worked side by side with them to ensure the Nintendo Switch version is absolutely true to the original vision we have for RiME, and they are doing a terrific work indeed! We are really enthusiastic about Nintendo Switch and we are immensely happy about releasing RiME on that console, but it’s too early to discuss future developments. Let’s finish RiME first! :)”

Tequila Works also mentioned that “There is still a lot of development to take into consideration, but we’re working hard to get the Nintendo Switch version ready for release at the same time as the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows PC versions in May.” A physical release could happen, as the studio is “working with Grey Box to check on the production pricing for cartridge Switch releases. We’ll ideally have additional information before long.”

Rime is finally launching in May. It’s been a long and stressful development period for Tequila Works, having originally announced its project in 2013.

Tequila Works creative director Raul Rubio admitted to IGN that Rime’s development was actually in jeopardy at one point. As he explained:

“Yes, there were a lot of moments where we thought that the game wasn’t going to be released. In fact I was completely sure of that once. Fortunately that didn’t happened.”

“That [possibility] was always for technical reasons. Not for financial or something business related.”

“When we announced that we were acquiring back Rime’s IP there were cancellation rumors. The truth is that in that precise moment we were moving to a bigger office, that’s pretty far from being closing a Company, isn’t it?”